The Fourth Curse: A Charming Family Movie Night
by Dragonlady980
Summary: During a blizzard, the Charmings and Killian are stuck in the loft with not much to do. Pure Captain Swan and Charming family fluff :) Rated K for very mild use of language by our lovely pirate, Killian.


"Come on, Mom! Please?"

Emma groaned as her son, her insufferably and perpetually enthusiastic teenage son, flashed her his biggest puppy dog eyes yet.

"Seriously, kid? You want to show him another pirate movie?"

"What? It's not like we have anything else to do. Besides, I think he'll like this one better than _Peter Pan._ "

Emma sighed and glanced out the window of her parent's loft apartment. The snow still fell heavily and the occasional forceful gust of wind reminded them that it was probably better to stay inside. Since they were snowed in, they had already watched two other movies that day. Henry had insisted on showing Killian Disney's _Peter Pan,_ on the pretense that it would be "hilarious". Sure enough, Killian had taken personal offense at how this non-magical realm had chosen to portray him.

"What in hell... is that supposed to be my hair?! Swan!"

He had given her his most indignant look as though she could somehow rectify this heinous outrage, but Emma only laughed. She couldn't help herself.

"These people are clearly delusional, Swan. Pan was the villain, not me. You saw it, you were there in Neverland! The little devil even kidnapped your son, for god's sake."

"It's just a movie, Killian. Remember, you're just a fairy tale in this land." she told him.

Killian then sat scowling for several minutes, muttering about how he was much cleverer and a much better swordsman than the movie made him out to be. It had taken a cup of hot chocolate, specially made with cinnamon, and several kisses (much to David's distaste) to get him to stop sulking. Henry had wanted to show him _Hook_ afterward, but Emma suggested they watch a different Disney movie. Something that didn't have a ridiculous portrayal of her favorite pirate. David and Mary Margaret had joined them at that point, so Emma put in _Snow White_ to give Killian a reprieve from being laughed at. Instead, they shared a laugh at David and Mary Margaret's expense, with both of them interrupting the movie every few minutes to tell them all how it really happened. As the day wore on, they took a break for snacks and coffee. Getting restless, Henry now wanted to watch another movie, _Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl_.

"It's different. I think he'll like this one." Henry said.

Emma poured herself another cup of coffee and thought about it. After a few moments, she gave in.

"Why not? At least it doesn't have a version of him in it."

Just as she spoke the words, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist from behind and a scruffy chin rested on her shoulder.

"What doesn't have me in it, love?" Killian asked.

Emma smiled and rested her head against his. If anything, she was glad for the snowstorm. It had afforded her some quality time with Killian, even if it was under the scrutinizing watch of her parents and her son. It was nice to be able to just sit and enjoy the other's company without running around town worrying about curses and villains, even if her father did give them disapproving looks whenever they cuddled on the couch. Emma smirked at the thought. David had long ago accepted that his daughter was dating a pirate. She knew that by this time his disfavoring glances and comments were only teasing.

" _Pirates of the Caribbean_. It's another movie. It's got pirates and sword fights and cursed treasure..." Henry told him. "I think you'll love it."

Killian mock frowned and appeared to contemplate the suggestion.  
"More pirates? Now where could you have gotten such an idea that I'd like pirates, lad?" he replied teasingly.

Just then David walked in the room and, upon seeing Killian with his arms around Emma, cleared his throat loudly. Emma rolled her eyes and Killian flashed him a wide grin, but neither did anything to remove themselves from their current position. David shot them both a look and reached for the coffee pot. Henry, ignoring the exchange, asked his grandfather if he would like to watch the movie with them.

" _Pirates of the Caribbean?_ Sure. I love that movie." he said.

"Really, Dad? Your favorite movie is a pirate movie?" Emma asked incredulously.

"What, is that so hard to believe?"

"Yes." she said.

"Kind of." Killian replied at the same time.

David shrugged and sipped his coffee.

"Just put it in, kid." he said to Henry, then turned back to Emma. "Your Mother is trying to put Neal down for a nap and he's not cooperating, so she might not be in for this one."

"Come on guys!"

Henry beckoned them over to the couches. He and David took one couch and Emma and Killian settled down in the other. As Emma curled her legs up underneath her and snuggled against Killian's side with his arm around her shoulders, she smiled. It was nice to feel cozy and restful for a change. She had never seen this movie before either, so it afforded her the chance to experience it for the first time along with Killian. Although she had a sneaking suspicion that he would start spouting stories of his own adventures to try to top that of the infamous Jack Sparrow's before long.

Sure enough, as soon as the _Black Pearl_ came into view, Killian's eyes lit up.

"That is one hell of a ship." he commented. "Second to the _Jolly Roger_ of course, but still..."

The sight of the ship sparked a thought trail in Killian's mind and it wasn't long before he was engrossed in telling a tale of his own exploits that (sort of) paralleled Jack's, causing raised eyebrows from David and eager questions from Henry. Emma just grinned as Killian prattled on about the time he and his crew had to fight off a hoard of invincible sea creatures to rescue one of their own.

"I'm sure they weren't invincible, just hard to kill." David put in.

"No, I'm fairly certain the monsters were invincible." Killian insisted.

"That's nothing." Mary Margaret's soft voice suddenly spoke up behind them. "Did I ever tell you about the time I shaved Blackbeard?"

The room fell dead silent. All heads turned around in surprise to look at Mary Margaret, the picture of innocence as she rocked baby Neal. Mary Margaret took in the array of shocked faces.

"Apparently not." she said.

"You did what? To Blackbeard?!" Henry asked breathlessly.

"I swear I have never heard this story before in my life." David stated, eyes wide.

"Here we go..." Emma sighed.

She knew exactly where this was going. Her mother would tell a chart-topping story, then Killian would counter it with something even more exaggeratedly impressive, then maybe David would chime in with one of his own, and Henry would be asking questions and encouraging them in their storytelling shenanigans and the cycle would never end. Though she admitted to herself that now she was curious to hear exactly what her mother had done to Blackbeard.

"Well, it all started when I met this old sorceress in the woods, and she saved me from some of Regina's guards, so I owed her a favor. She needed a piece of Blackbeard's hair for a spell..." Mary Margaret began.

As Emma listened, she found that she could actually imagine her mother as a bandit sneaking her way aboard a pirate ship. The trip to the past that she and Killian had inadvertently taken a few months ago had widened her perspective on her parent's lives as the people that Emma once thought were only fairy tales.

"I only needed that one braid really, but I was already there, scissors in hand, and the guy was knocked out so I figured why not?" her mother finished.

By this time, Killian and David were giggling like schoolgirls and Henry was lying on the floor, hiccupping with laughter. Emma grinned, chuckling at the thought of an almost bald and thoroughly humiliated Blackbeard. It was several minutes before anyone could say anything.

"You know, I noticed his hair was shorter when we had a bit of a skirmish once. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but he did seem crankier than usual." Killian told her, still snickering.  
Just then Neal let out a howl of his own, only his was anything but mirthful. Mary Margaret instantly started swaying and humming softly to him. She gave the others an apologetic smile and disappeared into the bedroom. Killian turned back to the screen and watched the credits roll by as the theme song played.

"You were right, lad. I did enjoy that one. That Jack Sparrow is a pretty clever pirate. I like him." Killian said to Henry.

Emma looked up at Killian, a amused glint in her eyes.

"Because he's clever? Or because he just so happens to share your love of eyeliner and quality rum?" she teased.

Killian let out a low chuckle, but didn't answer. Instead, he posed a question of his own.

"Are any of these characters real, love? I mean, this world sees them as fiction, but they also think all the people living in this town are just fairy tales, and we know that's not true."

Emma paused. She had never thought about that.

"You know, I have no idea. I think Blackbeard is actually in the 4th movie of _Pirates of the Caribbean_ and we know he's a real person, in the Enchanted Forest anyway. So I guess its plausible that some of them could be actual people." she replied.

"So Jack Sparrow could be real? That is so awesome." Henry piped up, having listened in on their conversation.

"Don't get too excited, kid. If he is real, he's probably not in the Enchanted Forest. If he was, he would have been brought to Storybrook with the rest of us after the... what was it, third curse? I've lost track." David said.

David's statement was meant to not get Henry's hopes up, but it apparently did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm.

"Jack Sparrow could be in Storybrook?! That's even cooler!" he said eagerly.

With that, he leapt up and ran up the stairs to the loft.

"Where are you going?" Emma called after him.

"To get the book! Maybe I can find Jack in it!" Henry yelled back.

Emma winced as she heard the door to her bedroom slam, then chuckled and shook her head.

"Well there certainly is something to be said for the boy's insatiable enthusiasm." Killian commented.

By this time the credits had ended and the screen had fallen dark. Emma, Killian, and David sat in relative silence for a few moments, contemplating what they should do next.

"Hang on. Swan, did you say there were four of these movies?" Killian asked.

Emma nodded.

"The fourth one came out not that long ago actually."

"What are they about?"

"The second and third one are kind of a continuation of the first one, the one we just watched." David replied.

Killian's eyes lit up and Emma had to smile. She knew exactly what he was thinking. Killian met her gaze and grinned.

"Can we?"

In response, Emma grabbed the remote and called up the stairs.

"Henry!"

"Yeah?"  
"Grab the popcorn and the other three movies, kid. We're having a marathon!"

"YES!"


End file.
